PARKING PROBLEM

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 180, 1 August 1941, Page 4

PARKING PROBLEM

ENGINEER'S VIEWS "OFF-STREET"PROJECT '"The first step towards the solution of the parking problem is for the city to make a provision that on and after future date all day and night parking on the streets in the city area should be absolutely prohibited," declared the city engineer, -Mr. J. Tyler, in reporting to the Auckland City Council last night on the question raised by Mr. H. J. Butcher regarding the provision of parking facilities in buildings which attracted traffic. "This admittedly sounds drastic," he said, "but it is obvious that until the city is prepared to show a definite intention to do something like this it is futile to discuss remedies. So long as free parking is obtainable in the streets there will not be sufficient demand nor sufficient confidence to induce building developments to embark upon offstreet parking ventures." There was much to be said for the view that the higher developed areas in the city should be required to assume the responsibility for supplying the relief, he said, for the burden which they imposed on the city by way of traffic congestion and impairment of accessability to business frontages due to long period parking. If other firms would follow the commendable example of one arge city trading company, which had for years provided a large free parking area in Hobson Street, much of the desired relief would be afforded.

'There is no doubt," declared the engineer, "that the clearing of streets of vehicles, parked for other than short business calls is a major problem that will sooner or later have to be laced by the city. People will not use off-street parking areas so long as they can secure free parking on the streets."'